This invention is directed to a cathodic electrocoating composition and in particular to a cathodic electrocoating composition containing an alkane sulfonic acid neutralizing agent.
The coating of electrically conductive substrates by an electrodeposition process also called an electrocoating process is a well known and important industrial process. Electrodeposition of primers to automotive substrates is widely used in the automotive industry. In this process, a conductive article, such as an autobody or an auto part, is immersed in a bath of a coating composition of an aqueous emulsion of film forming polymer and acts as an electrode in the electrodeposition process. An electric current is passed between the article and a counter-electrode in electrical contact with the aqueous emulsion, until a desired coating is deposited on the article. In a cathodic electrocoating process, the article to be coated is the cathode and the counter-electrode is the anode.
Resin compositions used in the bath of a typical cathodic electrodeposition process also are well known in the art. These resins typically are made from polyepoxide resins which have been chain extended and then an adduct is formed to include amine groups in the resin. Amine groups typically are introduced through reaction of the resin with an amine compound. These resins are blended with a crosslinking agent and then neutralized with an acid to form a water emulsion which is usually referred to as a principal emulsion.
The principal emulsion is combined with pigment, coalescent solvents, water, and other additives to form the electrocoating bath. The electrocoating bath is placed in an insulated tank containing the anode. The article to be coated is the cathode and is passed through the tank containing the electrodeposition bath. The thickness of the coating that is deposited on the article being electrocoated is a function of the bath characteristics, the electrical operating characteristics, the immersion time, and the like.
The resulting coated article is removed from the bath after a set period of time and is rinsed with deionized water. The coating on the article is cured typically in an oven at sufficient temperature to produce a crosslinked finish on the article.
Cathodic electrocoating compositions, resin compositions, coating baths and cathodic electrodeposition processes are disclosed in Jarabek et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,253 issued Nov. 25, 1975; Wismer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,467 issued Dec. 6, 1983; Belanger U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,140 issued Jan. 30, 1979 and Wismer et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,307 issued Aug. 25, 1984.
A wide variety of acids have been used to neutralize the polyepoxide amine adduct of the electrocoating bath such as sulfamic acid, toluene sulfonic acid, inorganic mineral acids, acetic acid, oxalic acid, formic acid, trichloro acetic acid and the like. Such acids are disclosed in Stromberg U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,224 issued Aug. 1, 1972; Kempter et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,604 issued Mar. 3, 1987; Kempter et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,403 issued Jun. 10, 1986; and Corrigan et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,056 issued Jun. 12, 1990. Weak acids do not provide the increase in throw power desired for many applications.
Throw power of electrocoating compositions continues to be a problem. Throw power is the degree to which an electrodeposited film penetrates and coats the surfaces of recessed interior areas of an automobile or truck body. Electrodeposition of coatings follows the force lines of the electrical field that exists in an electrocoating bath between the cathode and the anode. These force lines diminish as they penetrate into the recessed areas of the auto or truck body and cease to exist when the recessed area is too deep and a coating will not be deposited into such an area.
As automobile and truck body designs change, there is a need for electrocoating compositions that have increased throw power and that will penetrate and coat recessed areas. The improved composition of this invention has increased throwing power along with other desirable characteristics such as lower organic volatile compounds and smaller dispersed binder particles.